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Digest for 03-30-14

WOODLAWN — The Woodlawn baseball team finished the abbreviated Woodlawn Classic with a 2-0 mark after defeating Armorel for the second straight day.

Following Friday’s 11-1 win in five innings, the Bears once again ended things early with a 10-0 win in six innings.

Taylor Stitt led Woodlawn (13-1) on the mound and at the dish. The junior threw a complete game allowing just three hits and two walks with five strikeouts. Stitt added a 2-for-3 day in the batter’s box with two RBIs.

Glen Rose beat Armorel, 11-3, in Saturday’s only other varsity contest in the tournament.

Woodlawn will host DeWitt at 4:30 p.m. Monday.

STATE

Arkansas drops one-run games to Texas A&M

FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas softball team lost both games of a doubleheader Saturday to No. 20/17 Texas A&M by scores of 8-7 and 9-8, respectively.

Collectively, the Razorbacks launched five home runs during the twin bill, tying their season high with three during game two. Arkansas is now 23-13 overall and 2-6 in SEC play. The weekend series between the Razorbacks and Aggies concludes Sunday with game three at 1 p.m. at Bogle Park.

Arkansas trailed early in game one after the visitors posted a three-run first inning. However, back-to-back RBI singles from Devon Wallace and Stephanie Canfield plated the team’s first runs of the game in the second inning. With two outs, Kasey Fagan launched a three-run shot to left center to give the Razorbacks a 5-3 lead after two.

The Aggies responded with four runs in their half of the third to retake the lead. With Canfield on first and two outs on the board in the fourth, Clarisa Navarro lifted a two-run shot over the fence in left center to tie the score at 7-7. Texas A&M plated the winning run in the top of the seventh.

In game two, the Razorbacks scored in each of the first four innings but trailed Texas A&M (25-9, 6-5 SEC) by a score of 9-5 entering the bottom of the seventh inning.

Navarro led off the frame with a base hit. Fagan followed with a walk to put runners on first and second for Amanda Geile. The senior outfielder responded with a three-run blast to left center to bring the Razorbacks to within one run. However, the rally fell short with the next three hitters retired in order.

NATIONAL

Serena defeats Li for seventh Miami crown

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. — American Serena Williams claimed her seventh Miami title with a straight-set victory over Li Na of China.

The world No. 1 Williams responded from a slow start to beat the second-seeded Li by a 7-5, 6-1 margin in Saturday’s final of the Sony Open.

Down 5-2 in the first set, Williams woke up and won the final five games of the set to take control. The American cruised to victory in the second set.

Williams, who improved to 7-2 in Miami finals, became the fourth woman in the Open Era to win the same tournament seven times.

The 32-year-old Williams improved to 11-1 lifetime against Li, who won her second Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January.

Williams, the reigning U.S. and French Open champion, captured her 59th singles title.

Dodgers to place Kershaw on DL to start season

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Clayton Kershaw won’t be on the mound when the Los Angeles Dodgers open up the home portion of their schedule next Friday against the rival San Francisco Giants.

Instead, he’ll begin the season on the disabled list.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly confirmed Saturday that the 26-year-old lefty, who started and won the club’s season opener on March 22 against Arizona in Sydney, Australia, will be on the shelf as his club defends their AL West title.

Hyun-jin Ryu is expected to be on the mound at Chavez Ravine in Kershaw’s place.

The native of Dallas and seventh-overall pick in the 2006 draft finished 16-9 with a 1.83 earned run average along with 232 strikeouts over 236 innings in 33 starts for LA in 2013. He earned his second NL Cy Young in the last three years with that effort, and was the recipient of a seven-year contract extension worth $215 million.

76ers rout Pistons to end skid

PHILADELPHIA — Rejoice, Philadelphia! Rejoice!

At least breathe a sigh of relief.

The 76ers used a hot-shooting performance and all-around team effort to avoid setting the record for longest losing streak in major American professional sports.

Thaddeus Young and Michael Carter-Williams each scored 21 points to help the Sixers to a 123-98 rout of the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night, snapping their NBA record-tying 26-game losing streak.

It was their first win in 59 days since edging Boston on a buzzer-beater 95-94 on Jan. 29.